ii. sound of silence

[proudofwhatido]

There's a lot of talk about how quiet this place is and how surprising it is that nobody's been murdered. Is the Barge really that bad?

I've also noticed that a lot of the inmates have a tendency to lie and avoid answering questions. I would expect that from criminals, but I heard that not everyone here has actually broken the law, so I was wondering if anyone could explain that gap for me.

I don't suppose anyone would be willing to tell me what professions they worked before coming, or maybe what occupations they have now that they're here? It would be nice to know what roles people fill in a place like this.


[Private to Martha]
Think you could spare some time to show me the 'CES'? Maybe we could even catch a drink after.

[Private to the Admiral]
Any chance I could get a coffeemaker and some of Jude's Italian Roast in my room? I haven't lied for.. days now. Even Peter would have agreed to those terms.

[Private to Piper, added after chat with Crane]
Nick Halden. I'm a recently arrived warden here and I had an interesting talk with your inmate, Jonathan. Unfortunately, he was pretty busy at the time and we couldn't continue our discussion. I was wondering if you would be so kind as to request that he meet with me for an hour, just on the deck. I really feel like we were getting somewhere.

Comments

Private

[charmedandperky.livejournal.com]

The guy has no job and one project he's working on, leaving him plenty of time to whine and moan, so if he told you he was busy, it's code for 'leave me alone, you're bothering me.'

I'm not going to force my inmate into conversations he doesn't want to have with people other than me. Got that?

Private

[proudofwhatido.livejournal.com]

I know he has no job. Look, he came to me. It's not code for "you're bothering me", it's code for "I want to see you work for my attention." He wants someone to put in the effort to care about talking to him before he'll waste his time with them. It's an admirable trait and relatively common in occupations low on trust, but I need your help to try to get through to him.

I'm not asking you to demand that he meet with me and he could leave at any time; I'm just asking if you'll ask and maybe encourage him.

Private

[charmedandperky.livejournal.com]

NO.

Crane comes to people, tries to annoy them, then leaves when the conversation gets boring/uncomfortable. Whether you think that 'admirable; or not, in general? In him, it's kind of not.

He wants to talk to you, he'll come back or you can talk to him when he posts.

You're not using me to 'encourage him' or anything else, I'm not his

agent

, I'm his

warden

and what you're doing smacks of manipulation, I'm not going to be your 'in'. If you betray the guy, even in a flood or whatever, it'll reflect back on me, and I don't know you.

It's not your job to get through to him. It's mine.

Private

[proudofwhatido.livejournal.com]

That's still a cry for attention and it just supports my theory about his wanting someone to work for his attention.

And here I thought I'd left egos and arguing over jurisdiction back in New York. I'm not trying to "use" you. I'm asking you to give me a hand in trying to help someone. It's no different than cooperating with another agency to catch a serial killer.

Do you always assume the other wardens are out to betray your inmate?

Re: Private

[charmedandperky.livejournal.com]

No, he wants

everyone

to work for his attention. And he does that by making people vulnerable and hurt.

It's a

hell

of a lot different!

I'm not trying

to catch the guy or lock him up! I'm not trying to get credit or promoted! I'm

trying

to

connect

with him, gain his

trust

and make him a better person.

It's not going to be accomplished by me shoving smug jackasses in his direction.

Just the ones who seem keen to stick their noses where they don't belong. And congrats, you're the first.

Private

[proudofwhatido.livejournal.com]

Oh, it's not different at all. You're proud and I'm invading your territory. I get that.

So I'm a smug jackass for asking to meet with your inmate because I think I could help him? I'm glad I've realized it's not about helping people as much as stepping on other peoples' toes now. That would be embarrassing if I didn't figure it out for another month or two..

Re: Private

[charmedandperky.livejournal.com]

No, but you'll get my foot up your backside if you don't drop this.

You're smug jackass for assuming you got anywhere close to getting through to him in a single conversation. Also for being passive aggressively sarcastic at me.

Maybe if you knew the guy from Adam, or had, oh, a second's experience with dealing with an actual inmate that you were trying to redeem, I'd be prepared to listen. I'm not letting anyone screw around with this, or him, got that?

You wanna talk to him? Talk to him like a normal human being, don't pull this crap.

Re: Private

[proudofwhatido.livejournal.com]

I'll risk it.

I got through to you in a single conversation, albeit in a negative way. Why would he be any different? Also, I haven't been sarcastic at all. I apologize that the lack of vocal tone could allow it to be perceived that way. I assure you, I've been completely sincere. I don't believe in sarcasm often.. It lacks a certain finesse.

I assume you're talking about a metaphorical Adam, since I have, in fact, met Mr. Monroe. I have experience with an inmate I'm trying to redeem, though not as much as yourself, of course. I'm not trying to mess with Jonathan. I'm fine to try again on my own, but now I'm concerned for my reputation.

Private

[charmedandperky.livejournal.com]

Yes, you have. 'I'm glad I've realized it's not about helping people as much as stepping on other peoples' toes now. That would be embarrassing if I didn't figure it out for another month or two..', that's what we little people call 'sarcasm' and don't pull 'sardonic' at me, the intent is the same, even if I'm not entirely sure how to tell one from the other.

See, that's fundamental difference between you and me that you don't seem to be grasping. I could care less about my rep. I care about my inmate, that's not 'getting through' to me, that should be blindingly obvious!

Private

[proudofwhatido.livejournal.com]

It was the truth. Jurisdiction, same as back home. "You catch your criminals and I'll catch mine," only this is 'you help your inmate and I'll help mine.' There's nothing wrong with that (well, you could argue the fundamental value of morality, but for conversation's sake we won't); I'm glad I know that's how it works.

I can care about more than one person. I'm not smug or a jackass and I'm not sure I understand why you think I am. I consider causing a strong emotion in any direction to be 'getting through' to someone, so maybe it's a difference of definition. With you, it's negative. With Jonathan, it has a good chance to be positive.

Private

[charmedandperky.livejournal.com]

I hate to stomp all over your ego, there, but this isn't about you, this is about you using me to get an in and me saying 'no'. I'm not going to vouch for a man who I don't know. You've done nothing to prove to me that you won't use Crane or hurt him and I'm not going to take that risk.

You're asking for an endorsement from me, implicit or otherwise.

The answer for the last time is 'NO!' you wanna cure him when I'm looking? Fine. Don't ask me to trust you, cause I don't.

Private

[proudofwhatido.livejournal.com]

I don't see any ego stomping going on here. I'm fine with a no and you're right that I'm asking for you to endorse a talk. Your logic's not bad, but the effort it took to get there was unnecessary.

I already told you I'm not looking for you to change your mind and I never asked for your trust that I can remember.

Now? I'd like an apology for you calling me a jackass when I didn't actually do anything wrong to my knowledge, and if that's not something you're willing to give, I would appreciate a logical explanation for why you won't.

Private

[charmedandperky.livejournal.com]

I told you 'no' from the off and I told you why, you're the one who made us go to this effort. I don't have to explain myself and I'm not going to apologise and if you want to invent a logic all your own, then go ahead. This conversation is over.

Private

[proudofwhatido.livejournal.com]

I'm afraid the real world doesn't work like parenting. You can refuse to apologize and you can refuse to explain why you won't apologize, which usually means you have no explanation, but you can't decide when a conversation is over, just your end of it. I could continue to talk at you all day long if I felt like it might make a difference.

Come on. Why won't you apologize? We're both adults.